


Survivor's Guilt

by ItsDanteTime



Category: Splatoon, Splatoon 2, octo expansion - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Dealing With Trauma, Gen, blender go brrrrr, dark themes, survivor's guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:00:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27243847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsDanteTime/pseuds/ItsDanteTime
Summary: Ever since Agent 8 has saved the world from getting splatted, she's been having trouble sleeping.
Relationships: slight pearlina
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	Survivor's Guilt

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was heavily inspired by this artwork on twitter!
> 
> https://twitter.com/iguana152588/status/1320423641159401473?s=21
> 
> follow them and like their art lots!!!

_“BOO-YAH!!!”_

_Agent 8 cupped her ears at the smaller one’s war cry, yet the vibrations travelled its way through her ink and all three of her hearts. Her eyes tear up at the sight. The green goop, made of_ them.

_10,007 of them._

_It was only by luck that Agent 3 had gotten to them in time before Tartar activated that enlarged blender with herself and her recently-made friend Cap’n Cuttlefish._

_All the events that led up to this very moment, this moment where this small Inkling with the vocal cords of a fierce dragon roars to defend the world. Except…_

_She’s failing._

_Tartar’s statue has begun beaming with newfound strength._

No…

_Pearl’s voice has begun to waver, her oxygen slowly depleting. Eight knows that the moment she stops, even just for a fraction of a second, that the villain in front of them would surely win._

_It happened in slow motion, the tainted emerald beam has begun to near their chopper. Eight closed her eyes, anticipating the impact._

“Eight, wake up!” An urgent, gentle voice coaxes her awake.

Agent 8’s eyes flutter open, her panting has still yet to cease as she abruptly sits up. She looked around frantically, processing the fact that she was in her friends’, Pearl and Marina’s, mansion. “Marina…” Her whimpers break the teal-tipped hair Octo’s hearts as she wraps her sun-kissed arms around the poor girl. She sobs into her friend’s shoulder.

“It’s okay, Eight. It’s just a dream.” Marina reassures her, rubbing a comforting hand on her back. She pulls away to look at Eight’s eyes. Blood-shot amber meeting teal irises. “We saved the world. Everyone’s alive, and it’s all because of you.”  
  


“Not everyone.”

Marina flinched at Eight’s words. Eight noticed this and immediately was flooded with regret for snapping. “I’m sorry, I just… I-I shouldn’t be alive! There… There were so many of them, Mar. How am I alive? _Why_ am I alive? I don’t deserve to live like this when so many…” Eight’s hiccups made it hard to breathe. Instead, she cried in her mind.

Why me?

Why me, why me, why me?

  
Marina patiently waited for as long as Eight needed to calm down. She hugged the other girl once more, being her anchor.

Once Agent 8 has found her voice, she begins to speak. “I don’t deserve this.”

“That’s nonsense. Pearl and I are so _so_ happy to have met you. It’s because of you that Me, Pearl, Cap, the Squid Sisters, Three, Four, the whole _world_ is still here. The ink of our brethren could’ve been used against their own.”

Eight recalled everything that the Octarian Army stood for. Camaraderie. Bravery.

Family.

Eight understood now.

The pink tentacled Octoling shuffled under the blanket, her sweat long since dried up. She didn’t know how to respond to Marina’s attempt at soothing her anxiety. Instead, she opted to change the subject. “How’s Pearl?”

Marina’s eyes held a bundle of emotions, from relief to sorrow. She sighs before answering. “The doctor said… She might not be able to sing like she used to.”

Agent 8 remembered the courageous Inkling’s words.

_Blowing out my voice is a small price to pay for saving the world!_

“Marina, I’m so…”

Before Agent 8 could say more, Marina stopped her. “Hey, now. I’m supposed to be the one cheering you up, aren’t I? Pearl and I may be in our prime, but _man_ does the fame get exhausting. A bit of peace is a suitable reward for guiding you to save the world, hm? Besides, as long as Pearl rests her voice, the doctor also mentioned that there’s still hope.”

“Do you really think Pearl’s gonna last long without talking?” Agent 8 smiled. 

The other Octoling gave a playful snort. “Of course, not. She wouldn’t even stop rapping in her sleep!”

The two share a laugh. It was nice, sharing a moment with someone who understood one another’s pain, loss, and guilt. However, the two bristled at the sound of a sudden creak coming from the door. Both heads snapped at the entrance, ready to take down the intruder.

“What’s going on here?” A quiet and hoarse voice can be heard. It was Pearl, rubbing her tired eyes as she allowed herself into Eight’s room. “D’ja get a bad dream, Eight?” She asks, stumbling around the carpet and flopping on the bed, half-asleep.

“Pearl!” Marina exclaims. “Why are you awake?”

Pearl’s voice was muffled as she lay face down on the bed. “Inklish, Marina.”

Agent 8 furrowed her brows. Have they been speaking in Octolish this whole time? She never noticed. And from the way Marina blinked, the other Octoling was surprised as well.

Marina cleared her throat. “Anyways, didn’t you listen to your doctor? You’re supposed to…” She paused at the sound of light snoring. “Pearl?”

“I think she’s doing exactly as the doctor prescribed her to.” Agent 8 giggles.

“Yeah, I think I got that.” Marina scoffs playfully as she attempted to pick Pearl up and cradled her in her arms. Like a baby, the minor disturbance made Pearl murmur unintelligible words. “How are you, now?” She asks Agent 8, careful not to bring back bad memories.

Agent 8 stared at the ceiling before looking back at the other’s gentle eyes. “I’m doing better. Thanks, Marina.”

“It’s no problem. Pearl and I are always here when you need us. Now, if you’ll excuse me...” She responds with a huff, carrying the other girl in her arms to their room. “I gotta get our hero to bed.”

Eight glanced at the pink-tipped girl. She was as comfortable as she could be in her lover’s arms. “Yeah.”

“And Eight?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s not your fault. Not now, not ever.” Marina's eyes pierced through Eight’s soul, determined to get her message across.

Agent 8 knew she still had a long journey ahead of her, a whole lot of therapy and a lot of support was needed. And she knew that if she wanted to repay Pearl and Marina for everything they’ve done for her, she’d better start with treating herself right. 

“Thanks, Mar.”


End file.
